I Love Baking

Back!

2008-05-02T17:04:00.002+08:00

I'm back. Thanks to my family, hubby and friends for showering me with their concern and love during the stay in the hospital. I'm still recuperating and don't think will be into baking for a while. I'm not stopping my baking. It is still my passion and will be back.

Resting at home

2007-12-26T09:42:00.000+08:00

So many things had happen for the past month. I'll need to be offline from blog for a while. Need to prepare my body for operation.
I pray everything will turn out right, when i'm back

Cupcake lesson

2007-11-18T12:34:00.000+08:00

It has been a long time since my last update. So many things had happen for the past few weeks. First it is my cough again, second, my oven is not working properly. Think i had to stop baking a while until i got a new oven.

Recently i went to BIY for my cupcake decorating lesson. It was fun. I got a lot to improve on my decorating skill.

New Toy

2007-10-08T21:16:00.000+08:00

Today, i got a new toy from Brian. It is not about baking. It is a PSP, the latest slim version. A gift from him for our 1st year wedding anniversary. Thanks dear, *muaks* I love you.

Zoommmm...off to play my toy....

Taking a break

2007-10-01T21:53:00.000+08:00

I'll be taking a break for 2 weeks, to brush up my baking skill. When i come back, hope to post more successful baking pictures.

Busy at Work

2007-09-27T13:43:00.000+08:00

2 weeks, i had been neglecting my blog and 2 weeks i had not bake anything. So guilty.
I was so busy at work and i burn off my weekends too. Hopefully this weekend, there'll not be any outstanding issue.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

2007-09-13T14:45:00.000+08:00

It is my off day today. Actually i wanted to continue my poppy seed baking. This time with grapefruit and i was curious with the result. But yesterday night, i was looking at Martha Stewart website and come across Earl Grey Tea Cookie recipe. Brian complained i had not bake any of his favourites yet. Oh, well, i give up. The grapefruit recipe, i'll try over the weekend.

Earl Grey tea has always been Brian and mine favourite. The stronger the smell, the better. We all love bergamot. In Singapore, the best earl grey i can find will be the twinings brand.

The aroma smell of the tea was so strong that it fills up my whole kitchen when the cookies were in the oven. I so love the buttery taste. This is definately a keeper.

Make 2 dozen
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp Earl Grey Tea, ground finely in a small food processor or spice or coffee grinder (i use 3 tea bags)
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

1. Whisk together flour, tea, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter, sugar, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; slowly mix in flour mixture until just combined.
3. Divide dough in half. Transfer each half to a piece of parchment paper; shape into logs. Freeze 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Space 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
4. Bake until edges turn golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
Store in airtight container.

Poppy Seed Orange Muffin

2007-09-09T21:26:00.000+08:00

Used the poppy seed given by my swap friend Deb. The seeds give a crunchy taste to the muffin. It got no smell and taste and i could only taste the orange flavour. A lot of people was asking me what is poppy seed. Brian ask if he could get drugged after eating this because it is the plant for opium. So i do a seach http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppy_seed See it yourself. I don't want to elaborate to much. haha

Ingredients:
300 gm. Self-raising flour
40 gm. poppy seeds
90 gm. caster sugar
130 gm. unsalted butter
200 gm. marmalade jam
230 ml. milk
2 eggs.
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind

Method:
(1) Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Stir in poppy seeds and sugar.
(2) Put butter and marmalade jam into a bowl and microwave it till butter melts. Stir and mix evenly. Cool slightly.
(3) Whisk together milk, eggs and orange rind. Add in the butter mixture and mix well. Make a well in the flour and pour egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture. Fold gently with a sppon until just combined. Do not overmix - the batter should still be lumpy. Overmixing will make them tough.
(4) Spoon mixture into prepared paper cups and bake at 190C for about 20 to 25 mins. or until muffins are risen and golden.
(5) Serve warm or at room temperature.

My first Swap from Switzerland

2007-09-04T20:39:00.000+08:00

Recently i joined GIMME YOUR STUFF and had a very wonderful swap with Deb . I was so excited when the parcel arrive at my doorsteps. The baking items Deb got for me were awesome. I can't wait to bake with poppy seed. Well, i had something in mind and let's see if i can get all the available ingredient and try it out this weekend.

New baking and cook books

2007-09-04T20:33:00.000+08:00

Found these books at Popular and Kinokuniya. I think my hand is getting itchy. Had to wait till weekend then can try the recipes.

Mini Pingpi Mooncake

2007-08-26T21:52:00.001+08:00

Mooncake Festival is around the corner. So here is my attempt on mooncake. Family love pingpi, so i make pandan and strawberry flavour.

Pandan Pingpi skin (make 19 mini)
150gm koh fun
200gm icing sugar
50gm shortening ( i use crisco brand)
Few drops of pandan essence
Few drops of green colouring
200ml iced water

Filling
600gm brown lotus paste
20gm roasted melon seeds

Method:
1. Combine fillings together, scale at 30gm each portion. Shape into rounds, set aside.

2. Sieve koh fun and icing sugar into a big bowl. Add in the remaining ingredients and combine into a soft dough. Roll into long strips and scale at 25gm. Shape into rounds, flatten and wrap in a portion of 1. each. Repeat process.

3. Place 2. into a koh fun dusted mooncake mould. Press firmly and dislodge imprinted mooncake. Wrap with kitchen servittes to prevent condensation when you keep it chilled.

Strawberry Pingpi Skin (make 19 mini)
150gm koh fun
150gm icing sugar
50gm shortening
4 tbsps strawberry jam
Few drops of strawberry essence
180ml iced sugar

Filling
600gm white lotus paste
20gm roasted melon seeds

Using the same method for pandan ping pi

Japanese Soft Cheesecake

2007-08-26T21:37:00.001+08:00

This kind of cheesecake is very popular in our country. It is soft and moist. Specially make for my mother who had been requesting it.
The brown top got peel off when i overturn the cake. Such a pity.

For a 8 inch baking pan
Ingredients:
Cream Cheese 200gm
Milk 128gm ( i use UHT)
Unsalted butter 43gm
Low protein flour a.k.a Cake flour 26gm
Corn flour 14gm
4 egg whites
4 egg yolks
Lemon Juice 1/4 tsp
Sugar 86gm
Cream of tartar 1/4 tsp

Method:
1. Dice cream cheese into cubes and soak with milk for 30mins. Meanwhile melt the butter.
2. After 30mins, put mixture in a double bolier, stir until smooth and creamy. Stir in melted butter and cool.
3. After it is cool, stir in Corn flour and Cake flour, follow by egg yolks and then lemon juice. Mix well until smooth. If crumbs develops, sift the batter. Put the batter aside.
4. In a clean bowl, add tartar into the eggs white and whisk until formy. Add sugar into eggs white in 3 portion and continue to whisk until it becomes stiff. ( in the first 2 portion, i use high speed and beat for 1 min each time and last i switch to low speed and beat until stiff)
5. Add egg whites into the batter and mix well until colour combines.
6. Place mixture in a greased pan and give it a big bang to release the bubbles.
7. Lastly bake the cake in hot water bath. Initial bake for 15min-20mins for 170C and then lower temperature to 150C for 40mins. (At the last 10-15mins, take note of the cake top colour. If it is the colour you desired, place a aluminium foil over the cake.)
8. Cool the cake and remove it from the mould. It can be taken warm or cold. No need to put into the fridge

Cough, pls go away!

2007-08-22T10:15:00.001+08:00

My cough is getting bad to worse now. It had been giving me sleepless nights. Now i had panda eyes. Doctor give me antibiotics and i hope it'll go away soon. This virus seems like infecting the whole country. That day in a bus and 3 people in front of me was coughing like mad. A couple of my colleagues also had the same virus.

My baking had to be stop for a while until i fully recovered. Now i can't even taste my food properly. Everything taste bland.

Sick

2007-08-14T21:12:00.001+08:00

I'm down with flu and cough after enduring hubby same sickness for almost a week. Everyone thought my immune system is very strong. Haha, god knows. Now i just pray hard this cough will go off asap as there is another major baking project coming.

Vitagen

2007-08-07T17:09:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, when i was on my way back home. I notice there is a advertisement on Vitagen, one of my favourite drink. A closer look, the new product come with collagen. Very interesting, good for complexion and health too. Today i went to NTUC, but did not manage to see it. I wonder if it is on sale.

Quiz "Are you a good Cook?"

2007-08-07T17:05:00.000+08:00

You Are a Learning Cook

You've got the makings of an excellent cook, and the desire to be one.
But right now, you're just lacking the experience. You couldn't be a top chef yet, but you could be an apprentice.

Are You A Good Cook?

Huat Kueh

2007-08-05T20:18:00.001+08:00

Make this yesterday for my mum. Because Wed, we're going to genting to try our money luck, so i make this to huat. I used Redman ready mix which is very simple. Just add water and colouring, steam it.

Cupcake for Raymond's Birthday on 3rd Aug

2007-08-05T20:15:00.001+08:00

Bake cupcake for my good friend cum colleague Raymond at the East Coast BBQ. Sadly to say the fondant i use melts before we cut the cakes. I choose the wrong icing.

The recipe blog mentioned it was better than the famous Magnolia vanilla cupcake. I have not tried magnolia before but out of curiousity, i give it a try. The verdict is moist and soft. Everyone likes it.

Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes about 30 cupcakes
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

2007-07-21T11:16:00.001+08:00

Fresh Blueberry and Rashberry cost a bomb in my country. For a small pack, it can go up to $5 for blueberry and $7 for rashberry. To my suprise blueberry is selling at a discount price of $3.50. Without thinking, i just grab a box.

This muffin is one of my favourite besides chocolate ones. It taste so fluffy and soft. I love the favour of the blueberry.

From Williams-Sonoma Muffins

Makes 12 muffins!
Ingredients:

For the topping:
45g all-purpose (plain) flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the muffins:
105g unsalted butter, at room temperature
185g granulated sugar
2 large eggs
360g all-purpose (plain) flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
250ml milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
185g fresh blueberries or frozen unsweetened blueberries, unthawed

Method:
Preheat the oven to 190 degree celcius.
Grease 12 standard muffin cups with butter or line muffin pan with muffin cups.

To make topping:
1. Stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients just until coarse crumbs form.

To make muffins:
1. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each edition until blended into the butter mixture.
3. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 2 increments, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy.
5. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the blueberries just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. (Take care not to break up the fruits. Do not overmix.)
6. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it level with the rim of the cup. Sprinkle each muffin with some topping.
7. Bake until golden, dry, and springy to the touch, 20-25 minutes.
8. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Liqueur for Baking

2007-07-20T23:44:00.001+08:00

There are dozens type of liqueurs that can be use a baking ingredients. Wikipedia listed so many type of liqueurs that i'm so confused now. My mother in law just got back from Xiamen and thanks to her, she brought me Rum and Kahlua from DFS. I just can't wait to bake something using the liqueurs she brought.

I Love Swapping

2007-07-18T11:19:00.000+08:00

I'm actually searching for swapping site and happens to comes by this great site. Since i love swapping. It'll be fun to receive gifts from peoples from all over the world. Join me in the world of swapping.

What i can offer from Singapore: -

Ready to cook premix or pastes eg, chicken rice, laksa, sambal chili paste etc...
Asian cooking recipes or books
Candies
Dried fruits eg, durian, mango, apricots etc.
Japanese, Korean tibits
Japanese comics in japanese or chinese
Baking ingredients
Baking ware
Herb and Spices
Various international and local magazines, in english and chinese
Tote bags
Stationery

What i like

Candies and Chocolates from US.
Peanut butter. I love crunchy ones and butter cups
Poppy seeds
Vanilla pods
Your country's speciality
Tote bags
Baking ware
Baking ingredients
local cooking magazine
fridge magnets
Note books
dried products

If it is not listed here, just drop me a comment. I'll try to source for you.
Singapore is banned from gums.

Drop me a comment if you're interested in swapping with me

The Foodie Blogroll

2007-07-17T21:30:00.000+08:00

If you have passion about food and had a blog talking on food, baking, cooking. Join me to create a community of foodies. Details can be found in The Left-Over Queen Blog.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

2007-07-16T22:25:00.001+08:00

My very first Chiffon Cake. Not too bad ah. The pandan smell is so fragant that it lingers in the dining room for the whole day. Texture is quite dense and it become quite hard the next day.
Think i got to try to bake another one.

Moving Friendster blog to blogspot

2007-07-16T22:06:00.000+08:00

I'm moving my friendster blog http://susanbrian.blogs.friendster.com/my_culinary_journal/
to here. Basically blogspot is more user friendly.

Some of my favourite bake from my previous blog

Sponge cake (recipe by Linda from IK)
So far this is the most perfect sponge cake i ever bake.

Pooh and Piglet Cut Out Cookies